Travel recovery / How to keep the vacation vibes going!

For me and my work, travel is a necessity. It opens me up to new experiences, rejuvenates me, and inspires me to explore and invent new fragrances.

Journeys to and from vacation (especially abroad) are also strenuous and can leave me feeling depleted or out of balance. The more I travel, the more I learn how essential it is to dedicate time to vacation aftercare. Vacation aftercare can prolong relaxation and ease my transition back into my life. For those of you making your way home after the holidays, here are my time and travel-tested strategies tokeep your vacation glow vibrant well into the new year.

1) Support your immune system, especially during cold and flu season. Travel can strain your immune system and expose you to germs in airports, planes, and other close quarters. I like to increase my vitamin C intake or take a few drops of oregano oil before and after I travel.

2) Calm your nervous system.Travel can be frustrating and frenzied. I always travel with our rose glycerite and a natural nerve calming supplement like magnesium powder (I use Natural Vitality). Our rose glycerite is also an anti-spasmodic – the perfect antidote to muscle tension or stomach tightness.

3) Hydrate inside and out, particularly if you are flying. Airplanes are extremely low humidity and can strip moisture from your skin and deeper layers of body tissue. I add a pinch of salt to my water to increase electrolytes, which facilitate your body’s ability to hydrate. I also love herbal infusions, which increase your mineral intake and help your body flush out toxins and stagnations. My favorites are nettle, red clover, peppermint, lemon balm, rosemary, and burdock.

4) Put your feet up. When I come home from traveling, my body craves decompression. My favorite quick fix is feet up the wall (or legs bent with my calves supported by a chair or bed). Even just ten deep breaths calms anxiety in my chest, relieves low back tension, and brings circulation back into my legs. For the next day, I also plan for post-vacation fatigue and take rest. If you feel exhausted, take it as a cue from your body that you need time to slow down and digest your trip.

5) Make time to process. Travel moves me, challenges my assumptions, and gives me perspective on projects I was working on before I left. I like to set aside time to journal, day dream, and integrate what I found inspiring about my trip. Keep your inspiration going by cooking recipes or listening to music native to the place you visited. Even better if you can share these inspirations with friends and family after you return.